Featured Collections
#SayHerName, Rochester
Too often, Black women’s stories are buried and forgotten.
This collection of archival materials centers on Black women killed by members of the Rochester Police Department since 1975. These records are curated in partnership with family members and stakeholders and are shared with the public with full permission.
Denise Hawkins
Poet, Dancer, Mother, Wife, Daughter
Denise Hawkins was the daughter of a postal worker and Xerox employee. She lived and attended high school in the Southwest neighborhood, among the first wave of Black families able to secure home ownership in Rochester’s 19th Ward, owing to the efforts to combat redlining by the 19th Ward Community Association. On Nov. 11, 1975, Mrs. Hawkins’ family called police to support her in a domestic dispute, but they shot and killed her within five second of arriving at the apartment. She was 18.
White newspapers and police accounts exaggerated the threat of Denise Hawkins to officers to justify their use of force. They portrayed her as violent and dangerous. All four officers involved were exonerated, and the families were convinced to drop all charges.
This archive offers family photos, clippings from Black newspapers, personal papers, and oral history interviews.
Pat Thompson
Nurse, Mother, Wife, Daughter
Pat Thompson grew up in Florida and worked as a nurse before arriving in the 19th Ward of Rochester, NY. Neighbors recall her friendly presence and her daughter, Victoria, remembers getting really big hugs from her mom. On March 3, 2006, Mrs. Thompson was experiencing a mental health crisis, and her husband Kay, called police for support as he had done many times before. This time was different. Within seconds of entering her home, they shot and killed her. She left behind three children.
White newspapers portrayed Mrs. Thompson as a dangerous and unstable threat to officers. Both officers were exonerated, and the family was never contacted by the city.
This archive includes oral history interviews, newspapers, and personal papers from family members.